ABSTRACT

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) has become a term used frequently in higher education. But what does DEI mean in the context of teaching? And what does it look like to use equitable and inclusive practices in STEM courses, particularly those that are interdisciplinary in nature, integrate team-based work, and/or utilize TAs? In this keynote, we will explore what DEI is (and is not), review evidence-based principles of equitable and inclusive teaching, and discuss applications of these ideas in STEM specific teaching contexts.

BIO

Lindsay Wheeler, PhD, is Assistant Director of STEM Education Initiatives and Assistant Professor in the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Virginia. She is also an instructor in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Wheeler supports STEM faculty and graduate students in teaching and leads efforts to build data infrastructure and capacity to enable the institution to make data-driven decisions about teaching ad learning. She redesigned and taught introductory chemistry laboratory courses at UVA where she worked with ~35 TAs and ~1,400 students each semester. She has also taught Teaching Methods courses to TAs in the STEM disciplines. Her research focuses on teaching and learning in higher education. Her particular areas of interest include understanding the impact of professional development on faculty and TAs’ teaching practices, the role of student and faculty identities and beliefs in teaching and learning, and how justice and equity are integrated into STEM courses. Dr. Wheeler presents at national and international STEM education, higher education, and educational development conferences and publishes regularly in these fields. She is also currently Associate co-Editor for To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development.